10 Most-Read Stories from Solar Power International 2016

Each year, PowerPulse provides readers extensive coverage of important industry events, spanning the globe from Asia to Europe and North America, including the IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference, PCIM Europe, Solar Power International, Techno Frontier Japan, Consumer Electronics Show and electronica. The coverage typically starts running in advance of the event and continues with wrap-up stories after the event has concluded. The following are the ten most-read stories from Solar Power International 2016:

#10: VARTA Connect has Growing Network of Applications

VARTA Storage is adding new products related to all aspects of networked home energy systems. Moving forward, the intelligent battery storage systems will communicate with more home and energy technology devices via the VARTA Connect virtual system. Fully-charged batteries in the storage systems will heat water in homes using excess photovoltaic output and the immersion heater from my-PV. In this way, the storage system becomes a power station for the home. The new myGEKKO cross-platform control and automation monitoring system will exchange data and provide greater economic benefits of energy storage. More.

#9: PV Energy Management System up to 50kW and 54kWh

Toshiba International Corporation (TIC) announced the launch of the E1000 Series Energy Management System (EMS). The E1000 Series EMS is available with a 25kW or 50kW photovoltaic (PV) power inverter and has energy storage options available from 18kWh to 54kWh. The E1000 Series EMS allows users to manage their energy and power needs through peak-shaving, and time-shifting to quickly adapt to changing utility pricing. More.

#8: 1500Vdc String Combiners Target Utility-Scale Installations

Yaskawa - Solectria Solar announced at Solar Power International in Las Vegas, Nevada that it has added the DISCOM 1500, a 1500Vdc string combiner, to its DISCOM string combiner line. The combiners have gone through Highly Accelerated Lifetime Testing (HALT) guaranteeing all components are carefully vetted for highest reliability. They offer utility-scale and large commercial PV designers the design flexibility needed in combiners. These string combiners are being deployed in utility-scale projects in the U.S. from 50- to 200-MW. More.

#7: 4.4kW Microinverter Designed for Energy Storage Systems

Sensata Technologies Holding N.V. has released its Magnum Energy MicroGT 500 micro-inverter, the first micro-inverter designed to communicate seamlessly with the Magnum Energy PAE inverter/charger. Designed with energy storage in mind, the MicroGT 500 is a daisy chained, dual MPPT, grid tied micro-inverter. It is rapid shut down compliant, while offering the traditional functional advantages of a micro-inverter and the economic and deployment advantages afforded by its multiple module, daisy chain topology. More.

#6: Delta Unveils 125kW Power Conditioning System

Delta Group debuts its latest Power Conditioning System (PCS) at Solar Power International today through the 15th. Designed to convert power between static energy storage and the grid with top-of-the-line efficiency, Delta's PCS is a bi-directional conversion system that offers both energy management and power quality management capabilities. The company is also showcasing its comprehensive line of 3-phase PV inverters, for residential, commercial and industrial applications. More.

#5: Eaton Control System Simplifies Microgrid Deployment

Power management company Eaton announced a microgrid energy system designed to help simplify and expedite the deployment of complex microgrid and energy storage systems. Designed for critical applications requiring secure, safe and efficient reliable power, the innovative solution is engineered to help customers deploy stand-alone power systems using existing and new assets with the adaptability to easily meet future needs. The system incorporates Eaton's new Power Xpert Energy Optimizerâ„¢ controller and provides a modular, scalable approach to microgrid control in military, campus, utility, healthcare, commercial, community and other applications. More.

#4: Plug-and-Play Integrated Energy Storage System

Sentinel Solar will unveil its new energy storage system (ESS)–the AHI™ Wave, at this year's Solar Power International Conference in Las Vegas. Developed in partnership with leading global inverter maker Outback and energy storage manufacturer Aquion Enegy the Wave is a complete "plug and play" system; designed for residential use on new and existing grid interactive and off-grid energy storage applications. More.

#3: Yingli to Launch UL-Certified PV Modules in the U.S.

Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Ltd. announced the launch of three new module series in the United States. Yingli Smart Module Series, certified by Underwriters Laboratory (UL), features integrated module-level power optimizers produced by SolarEdge. Designed for the residential and commercial market segments, Yingli Smart Modules increase energy harvest at the module level and enable more flexible system design thanks to embedded SolarEdge power optimizers. More.

#2: Enphase adds IQ to Residential Solar Inverters

Enphase Energy, Inc. unveiled its Enphase Home Energy Solution with IQâ„¢, its next-generation integrated solar, storage and energy management offering. The solution features the company's sixth-generation Enphase IQâ„¢ Microinverter System, which supports high-powered 60- and 72-cell solar modules, integrates with upcoming ac modules from LG and SolarWorld, and offers installers faster and simpler installations, saving on soft costs. The Enphase IQ family of microinverters represents the next wave of innovation in module level power electronics. More.

#1: Solar Panels Gain 30% Power with Cell-String Optimizer

New cell-string optimizer technology from Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. allows photovoltaic (PV) panels to harvest significantly more energy and simplifies design complexity for solar installation projects. Maxim's cell-string optimizers are highly integrated DC-DC converters that replace the bypass diode and perform maximum power point tracking (MPPT) deep inside the PV module. By replacing each diode with a MPPT device, the on-off response to performance mismatch is eliminated; every cell-string contributes maximum power without interfering with the power production capability of others. More.